Pocket-knife



E. D. CHAMBERLAIN.

(No Model.)

POCKET KNIFE;

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NITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND D. CHAMBERLAIN, OF WESTFIELD TOWNSHIP, UNION COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

POCKET-KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,896, dated November 22, 1881.

Application filed September 13, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND D. CHAMBER- LAIN, of the township 'of \Vestfield, Union county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Pocket-Knives; and Ihereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact account, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the knife with the blade closed and the spring resting on the butt of the blade. Fig. 2 shows the blade partially open and the spring removed from contact with the blade. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section.-

My in'vention appertains to that class of knives wherein the blades fold within a bandle and are sustained when in an opened or closed position by means of a spring in the back of the handle.

The object of my invention is to provide a means whereby a knife-blade may be easily opened and closed regardless of the strength of the spring in it, whereby ladies or persons physically weak may readily open the blade, and whereby the breaking of ones finger-nails in forcing the blade open is avoided.

My invention consists in the following construction and arrangement, whereby the object of my invention may be attained,and which will be first fully described, and then set forth in the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art may make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, Ais the handle of the (No model.)

knife; B, the blade, and G the spring in the back of the handle, after the usual-manner of construction of this class of knives, the end of the spring bearing on the butt of the blade.

Within the handle is placed a cam.a, mounted on a short spindle, I), having bearings in the sides of the handle, and the spindle being provided with a shortlever, D, by which cam 11 can be turned at will. The cam is so constructed and located that when the lever is laid down close to the handle, as seen in Fig. 1,.no portion of the face of the cam comes in contact with the spring 0, and the whole force of the spring is exerted on the blade.

When it is desired to open the blade, lever D is raised, as seen in Fig.2. This operation throws the face of the cam against the spring and raises it, so it does not exert its power on the blade, (see Fig. 4,) and the blade can be easily opened with the finger-nail. When the blade is opened the lever is laid down against the handle, so that the spring bears against the blade and sustains it in position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a pocket-knife, the permanently-pivoted blade or blades B and the blade-spring O, in combination with a device, substantially as described, for removing at will the tension of the spring from the blade, consisting of cam a, lever D, and spindle b, for the purpose set forth.

EDMUND D. OHAMBERLAIN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES HABERLEY, S. J. MARDEN. 

